China has created the world's first engine for flight at a speed of Mach 16

China has developed the world's first jet engine capable of reaching speeds of up to Mach 16 (19.5 thousand km). This was reported on February 27 by the newspaper South China Morning Post (SCMP).

It is noted that this invention can become a significant breakthrough in the field of hypersonic technologies and change the perception of the possibilities of air and space flights.

"In a series of groundbreaking experiments at the JF-12 impact tunnel in Beijing, which simulates high-Mach flight conditions at an altitude of more than 40 km (25 miles), researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have achieved sustained inclined waves using RP-3 jet fuel, a common commercial kerosene," the statement said. publications.

According to the publication, the fuel combustion rate in the new engine is 1 thousand. several times higher than that of conventional air-jet engines. Moreover, it is able to create "detonation diamonds" inside itself — very fast explosions that occur under the influence of a shock wave. This allows the fuel to be burned in a matter of microseconds.

Last winter, Chinese scientists announced that they had invented a new drone engine that would help devices stay in the air for a long time. In particular, experts from the Northwestern Polytechnic University of China have invented a module that converts light energy into electricity and allows drones to be charged in the air. The creators do not disclose the details of the project in order to avoid its use for military purposes, however, they assure that with such an engine the drone will be able to rise to the height of a skyscraper.